This is PM Roman Golovchenko’s first official visit to Vietnam since his appointment in 2020 and is also the first visit to Vietnam by the head of the Belarusian Government in the past 12 years. This event is an important milestone in the time-honoured friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus, outlining a new vision for bilateral relations, for peace, stability, and development.
Located in eastern Europe, Belarus advocates the expansion and diversification of its foreign economic activities to Asia and Latin America, while continuing to attract investment from Europe. Belarus's economic-trade policy focuses on developing in the direction of market opening, integrating into the world economy, diversifying relations, and finding new markets. Regarding its foreign policy, Belarus attaches importance to relations with the Asia-Pacific region, including relations with Vietnam.
Vietnam and Belarus inherit the traditional friendship and good multi-faceted cooperation that existed between Vietnam and the former Soviet Union.
During the years when Vietnam fought for national independence and national reunification, Soviet experts, including Belarusian experts, came to help support Vietnam with its difficulties. Since then, hundreds of Vietnamese students and graduate students studied in Belarus.
In more than 30 years since Vietnam and Belarus officially established diplomatic relations in 1992, the relationship between the two countries has recorded many positive developments, with increasingly high mutual trust.
Belarus has always affirmed that it values relations with Vietnam and considers the country a model of development after overcoming the embargo period to attain the rapidly growing economy and independent and self-reliant foreign policy is has today.
The two sides have maintained regular delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, especially at high levels; coordinate and support each other at international and regional forums, especially at the United Nations. In 2022, the two countries celebrated 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations.
The achievements in economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus have reflected the tireless efforts of the governments, businesses, and peoples of the two countries over the years. Vietnam and Belarus have held 15 sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee on economic-trade and scientific-technical cooperation. The two sides are also actively implementing the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement, of which Belarus is a member.
The two economies of Vietnam and Belarus have many complementary strengths. Vietnam’s exports to Belarus include seafood, natural rubber, furniture, textiles, footwear, rice, cashew nuts, peanuts, pepper, spices, tea, canned vegetables, pharmaceuticals, and computers; while imports include milk and dairy products, fertilizers, machinery, equipment, car parts, tractors, trucks, and chemicals.
According to the General Department of Customs, two-way trade reached 113.9 million USD in 2022 and 46.42 million USD in the first nine months of 2023. Belarus currently has three investment projects in Vietnam with total investment capital of 32.25 million USD, the most notable of which is the MAZ Asia automobile assembly project in Hung Yen Province.
Cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus in other fields is also constantly being strengthened and developed, actively contributing to the stable and sustainable development of each country. Science and technology organisations of the two countries have been cooperating closely, with many implemented projects achiving good results. The Vietnam-Belarus Science and Technology Cooperation Committee has held 11 meetings. Security-defence cooperation has been maintained through the exchange of delegations and activities of the Intergovernmental Joint Committee on Military Technical Cooperation.
In the field of culture and tourism, the two countries organised Belarusian Cultural Days in Vietnam in 2014, 2017, and 2023 as well as Vietnamese Cultural Days in Belarus in 2015 and 2018. The number of Belarusian tourists to Vietnam has increased rapidly since Vietnam waived visas for Belarusian citizens, reaching more than 12,000 visitors in 2019.
Cultural and tourism exchange activities are a bridge to help people of the two countries get closer despite geographical distance and language differences. The Vietnamese community in Belarus has about 600 people, and the local government has given a lot of sympathy while creating favourable conditions for them to reside, work, and study.
This official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko is expected to make an important contribution to promoting relations between Vietnam and Belarus in depth and effectiveness, especially in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, agriculture, security-defence, tourism, culture, and education-training; while also expanding cooperation in potential fields such as transportation, science, technology, and others.
The visit also affirmed Belarus's policy of valuing and wishing to promote relations with Vietnam, while also demonstrating Vietnam's respect for relations with Belarus in particular as well as time-honoured friends of the former Soviet Union in general.
